The Canucks are in the trickiest spot of any Canadian team heading into the trade deadline. They’re not a clear-cut Stanley Cup contender like Toronto or Edmonton, but they also have a realistic path to sneak into the playoffs.

Let’s take a look at some of the questions facing Vancouver ahead of Friday’s trade deadline.

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Brock Boeser

Brock Boser finished with a career-high 40 goals last season and he’s currently second on Vancouver this year with 18, but he’s a pending UFA and it doesn’t appear like he’s close to signing an extension. His $6.65 million cap hit is manageable for a contending team looking to seriously boost their top-six scoring, especially if Vancouver is willing to retain some money.

Of course, it only makes sense to trade Boeser if the Canucks have given up on a playoff run this year. They’re tied with Calgary for the second Western Conference wild-card spot, so it’s very possible Vancouver sneaks into the postseason, although it’s tough to see them being as dangerous as they were last year. Bottom line, the Canucks need to decide if they are buyers or sellers.

Elias Pettersson

Vancouver also has to make a decision on Elias Pettersson. Things haven’t gone well since the Canucks chose to trade J.T. Miller instead of Pettersson. Since the trade to the Rangers, Miller has more points with New York (14) than Pettersson has shots (eight) with Vancouver.

Pettersson’s full no-move clause kicks in on July 1, so if the team wants to cut ties, they have to do it by the trade deadline or at the draft.

Targets and assets

The Canucks are in a really awkward place at the moment. They sit on the fringes of the playoffs and there’s a lot of ammo you could use to make a case for them both to be a buyer or a seller at the trade deadline.

If Vancouver goes the ‘buy’ route, it’s crucial they replace what they lost when they traded Miller. Philadelphia’s Scott Laughton doesn’t provide the same level of skill as Miller, but he’s another intense player who is a pain to play against, and the Canucks are in a better cap situation than a lot of the teams competing for Laughton.

If Vancouver decides to sell, the two biggest trade chips are clearly Boeser and Pettersson. It makes more sense to move Boeser and keep Pettersson. Boeser is likely going to walk in free agency anyway, so it’s better to get something for him.

And the Canucks just aren’t going to win a trade with Pettersson. He has a massive contract and his value is at an all-time low. Vancouver is better off hoping this is just a lost year and the 26-year-old can get it together next season.